The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-08-19


she might find chance to give them
! 70 the children. She never did find
the chance, and as she could not eat
them all herself, nor commit the
/ wasteful sin of throwing away good
things, she used. after they had grown
somewhat dry, to take them in paper
bag and 60 out on very lonely coun-
try lane, when there was mild and
amiable COW tethered and feed the COW
with the scolloped cookies. She thought
that if any one should come along she
might pretend she was gathering
berries, A great many huckleberries
grew in this particular lane; and that
was one reason why Miss Persis picked
out that COW.
The cooky jar was always kept re-
| plenished; but she never was able to
offer its contents to the children.
Once, indeed, the Turner baby fell down
right in front of her gate, and Miss
Persis, on the impulse of the moment,
opened her front door and hurried
down the walk to pick him up. But
when the baby saw gaunt Miss Persis
stalking like grenadier toward him,
he cried louder than ever, and forget
ting his bump, ran home as fast as he
could move his fat red legs.
don't suppose should ever have
known any thing about this side of
Miss Persis if it had not been for an
accident; and this was the way it hap
pened.
went on an errand to Miss Persis-
not sent this time, for I had grown up,
and the errand was of my own max
ing. Miss Persis had in her garden a
rather uncommon variety of hollyhock;
and as | prided myself upon my own
assortment of hollyhock, was very
anxious to get some seeds of this one,
unique in the neighborhood. So l
mustered up my courage to go and
ask for some. | went to look at my
hollyhocks before / started, just to see
how very much wanted this new one
among them, for had to encourage
myself. AS | walked along, switching
the bushes at the side of the road with
little stick and humming tune. I
tried to pretend "didn't mind" but I
did, dreadfully, for / had never lost my
childish fear of Miss Persis.
When | reached the yard, there were
the hollyhocks; so, keeping them in
my sight by way of encouragement, I
walked up the path and pulled the bell.
To my dismay, the rusted wire broke,
and the knob came off in my hand.
This was awful! 1t was bad enough
to ask for the seeds, but how could l
ever apologize for the dislocation of
the bell knob But it had to be done;
so, trying to be brave, / walked
around to knock at the kitchen door,
Though the door was wide open,
Miss Persis did not hear my steps.
She was sitting in arocking chair, her
face half turned away from the door,
bending slightly forward, and holding
on one arm doll!
stood transfixed on the doorstone,
and Miss Persis, glancing up, started
from her chair, and, after looking
wildly around for some place to hide
herself, remained with her eyes fixed
on mine. / tried to say something
about the bell knob and my errand,
but Miss Persis stood speeches., her
face working convulsively and dull
red flush creeping up to her hair.
Forgetting myself in my pity for her
terrible shame and confusion, went
in, and, stepping up to her, put my
arm around her waist. She gripped
the arm with her hard hand, and, with
a dry, choked sob, sank into the rock
ing-ehair
81 love dolls" I said, "and what a
lovely one this is!'
'Do youP'' said Miss Persis, with
just faint look of relief 81 thought
you'd think Twas crazy--but you don't
know. Is'pose you always had dolls.
1t must seem dreadful queer to see me
holding one; but / can't help it. You
see, never had any. ] never had any
thing to play with
thought of my own childhood, of
all my old play things, and my family
of well-beloyed and still cherished
dolls. now locked carefully away in
the little white hair trunk in one cor
ner of the garnet. l could hardly real
ize the poverty of her childhood, but,
thinking of it, began to understand
little about Miss Persis.
81 didn't.care about most things to
play WITH, but did always SO want
doll. didn't 60 round with other
children much. never made friends
easy, and somehow always felt diff
ferent I'd have liked to have PLAYED
with them, but / never seemed to
know how, and they never seemed to
care to have me. | used to be dread
full lonesome, and didn't even make
a rag baby though Is'pose / might
have but | always felt that mother
would think | was foolish if I should
go Juggling around q doll. Sometimes
| used to have crook-necked SQUASH.
but l didn't like to take one and hide
it, and knew, if didn't, that by and
by it would be cut up and cooked; and
that used to worry me all the time I
played with it, so l couldn't get any
comfort out of it. 7"
LEANED forward and took the dol
from Miss Persis, for it was beginning
to have new interest for me.
Where did you get this onep" /
said.
"Well, | had to make believe had
one at first. l called her Amanda NAL
vina, after some one in book read
once. Twas a lovely book, and
thought it was beautiful name. I
used to think about my doll great
deal, and to talk to it; but it was kind
of hard having it all make-believe. L
wished | had something to be Malvina.
l used to wonder if l couldn't earn
money and buy one. Once did earn